In our ongoing series recognizing disability pride month, we talk to social worker Ryan Padilla, SWAICL, about how an accident which led to his paraplegia motivated him towards a new purpose of helping others in therapy, thinking global while acting local. Even before the injury that brought seismic change to his life, Ryan had always nurtured a desire to heal people. He describes in his experience the darkness as well as the light and even a new perspective of gratitude. He loves the person he is today because of his disability, not in spite of it.

Introductory Quote by Judy Heumann, Disability Rights Activist

During a joint House-Senate hearing on discrimination on the basis of disability. September 27th 1988.

Why and How to Celebrate Disability Pride Month

https://thearc.org/blog/why-and-how-to-celebrate-disability-pride-month/#:~:text=Observed%20every%20July%2C%20Disability%20Pride,norms%20to%20live%20meaningful%20lives

Main show theme is “Strangers” by Midnight Prisms

Music and lyrics by Alicia Beck

Music and production by Max Foreman

Mastering by Little Castle Sound

Please follow and listen to Midnight Prisms on Spotify!

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3o5jiLSZMoSXNWL98UBxYI?si=sK-K7IoUSp-QfFKgUwVY7A

Logo art by Patrick Mitchell and Angelina Harvey (@graffitifucks on Instagram)

Patrick and Audrey break down the “Big Beautiful Bill” (hereby called the Fuckity Fuck Fuck) that was recently made the law of the land by a heartless Republican Party, which seems intent on culling the herd to enrich the very few. In our subsequent exploration of trauma and recovery, Audrey details the long path she’s taken out of her own past of addiction, and the traumatic relationship that kept her in a vise grip of abuse until she finally reached out for help.

In brighter news, we touch on socialist Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the NYC mayoral primary, offering a potential progressive, pro-human future we look to for fuel to keep us pushing towards better.

If you or anyone you know is experiencing domestic violence, text BEGIN to 88788 or call 800-799-7233, or visit thehotline.com

Opening quote by Michael Brooks, formerly of The Majority Report with Sam Seder and The Michael Brooks Show. Left is best <3

Read more from David Dayen at the American Prospect.

https://prospect.org/topics/david-dayen

Here’s what’s in Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill”:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/whats-in-trump-big-beautiful-bill-senate-version

Main show theme is “Strangers” by Midnight Prisms

Music and lyrics by Alicia Beck

Music and production by Max Foreman

Mastering by Little Castle Sound

Please follow and listen to Midnight Prisms on Spotify!

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3o5jiLSZMoSXNWL98UBxYI?si=sK-K7IoUSp-QfFKgUwVY7A

Logo art by Patrick Mitchell and Angelina Harvey (@graffitifucks on Instagram)

• (00:00:02) - Trump's Big Beautiful Health Care Bill
• (00:04:14) - Neutrality and Mental Health
• (00:11:50) - What's the Most Painful Mental Disorder You Can Have?
• (00:15:10) - On Heroin and Dating
• (00:21:11) - Married People Use Meth For Two Years
• (00:25:00) - Domestic Violence Survivor on The Trump Administration
• (00:31:22) - Social Workers speak out against the GOP's health care plan
• (00:37:18) - The Future of Political Ideas
• (00:40:11) - Democrat Ahmed Mamdani Wins New York City Primary

Audrey and Patrick talk social justice, Quaker ancestral truths, and formative romantic relationships before pivoting to the event that sparked this show: the ongoing siege and terrorizing of immigrant communities in Los Angeles and other cities in America by fascist ICE commandos animated by a white nationalist Trump administration.

Introductory Quote by: H. Marissa Montes, esq.

Marissa is an immigration attorney and professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles as well as the founder of Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic, also located in Los Angeles.

25 Places to Volunteer Your Skills for Immigrants and Angelenos in Need Right Now.

https://lataco.com/los-angeles-volunteeer-immigration

Main show theme is “Strangers” by Midnight Prisms

Music and lyrics by Alicia Beck

Music and production by Max Foreman

Mastering by Little Castle Sound

Please follow and listen to Midnight Prisms on Spotify!

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3o5jiLSZMoSXNWL98UBxYI?si=sK-K7IoUSp-QfFKgUwVY7A

Logo art by Patrick Mitchell and Angelina Harvey (@graffitifucks on Instagram)

• (00:00:02) - The Importance of Dating While Recovering
• (00:04:18) - What Was It Like To Date In The Room?
• (00:07:10) - How I got diagnosed with schizophrenia in my early 20s
• (00:12:38) - The day I was fired from my job
• (00:16:47) - Adam Levine on His Drug Use
• (00:21:43) - Mariah Carey on Her Political Issues
• (00:26:30) - Teens Talk Political Issues
• (00:31:21) - "I Should've Seen Trump Win"
• (00:35:40) - Andrew Breitbart Dead Near His Former Apartment
• (00:39:35) - Michael Buble Passes
• (00:42:04) - Antifa Are Extremely Leftist
• (00:47:40) - "We Want to Kill LGBTQ People By Suicide"
• (00:56:31) - In the Elevator With a Mental Illness Patient
• (00:59:01) - Tom and His 8-Year Sobriety